Fairy Tail's Strongest
by IHKF
Summary: Chapter 3: She may have been related by blood to Natsu, but HE was the one she grew up with. He had more of a right to be called "daddy" than the man truly responsible for the existence of the child. "I'm great, Daddy! I found out that I have two Papas! And that's better than one!" Ah, I see. So that's what Lucy wants to talk about.
1. Eight Years

CLANK!

"To our guild!" The sounds of glasses clinking and breaking (from some of the rougher or already drunk members) echoed and filled the room of a black magic guild, cheers and good wishes (for once) on the tips of everyone's tongues. This was the guild known as "Nazo". Their headquarters resembled that of an old-time dark castle, the only light in the room coming from a few candles on the walls, casting an almost evil orange glow upon the room. A red carpet ran down the middle of the room, ending just before a staircase that contained two sets of stairs separated by the second floor they ran up to. In the space separating these two staircases was where the male head of the guild stood, his black robe covering his entire being with the exception of his head. His dark purple hair was made out to seem even darker in the dim light of the place. His blue eyes glistened and danced in amusement. He himself held a warm smile on his face as he chugged down his own mug, watching as the members of his guild laughed and cheered before a fight broke out in the corner of a room. A chair went flying by as a member, who's used to this treatment by now, sat there in the flying chair still drinking his beer with a _jaded _expression on his face.

The chair hit a happy drunk on his head, bouncing off (how the chair didn't break or land on anything other than its legs nobody seemed to understand) and merely confusing the large drinker. He shrugged and continued to laugh like the drunken fool he was, raising his beer even higher than before. The uninterested member of the guild still sat there in the chair that had been thrown, not a drop of his beer missing his mouth.

It was days like THESE where a certain member wondered how her children had grown up in such a place and were _still _so sweet and fun. Well, she understood the fun part but not the sweet part. The female leader, who stood next to the male leader, looked over at her children who were toying around with a small brown fluffy creature who bared its teeth as it took one of the girl's dolls and shook it in its mouth. The girl didn't cry or whine; instead she broke out laughing and fell back, rolling around. Not because she wasn't into dolls or because she wasn't girly. It was because it was so amusing to see a stiff doll shaking around in her little friend's mouth like it was a chew toy and not a puppet meant to play dress-up. The boy had a sweat-drop running down his head before he laughed nervously and patted his creature friend's head, telling him to drop it before his twin sister realizes exactly what the implications are of him shaking this doll. It was her favorite and if he knew his sister well enough, he knew that she'd laugh now and be upset that her doll was missing her head later.

The fluffy baby monster put the doll down and smiled sheepishly, saying he was sorry. _How did they teach him to TALK? _The female forefront shook her head, smiled cordially at her children. Oh how amusing it was to see them making such a friend and interacting in such a way. "Are you alright?" She turned to the masculine figure she stood next to as he smirked cockily in her direction. "Korvich, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? After all, this is the anniversary of that day." She scoffed; angered that he would bring up such a thing on such a joyous occasion. It was sad that the day she became the sovereign of this place was the day she lost her home in another…

"Are you trying to piss me off?"

"No, just saying I understand if you want to let loose and drink a little more. I can watch the kids."

This man… he was not committed to her romantically but he was the replacement father of her children. He promised her this the first night that she… "arrived"… here as a member of Nazo. It was his fault she was there and he would raise these children with her so long as she agreed to stay.

Of course, even if he hadn't promised that she would have stayed here as his queen. Not his wife, but as somebody who ruled next to him. Heaven knows this was the better choice. Korvich seemed to grow close to the children, knowing that as he was not their father, he had to actually try to establish that bond with them.

It was better to have a man you're not related to by blood love you and care for you rather than a man who WAS related by blood to you be forced to stay because it was "the right thing to do", no matter how unhappy it was for both you and him. She frowned at the memory of a man she still, even after five years, couldn't bring herself to stop loving no matter how corny or cheesy that sounds. She couldn't believe the sounds of that. Eight years ago she found out she was pregnant. Eight years ago he promised her he'd stay (even though she knew what he really wanted). Eight years ago she was kidnapped from her guild by the man standing next to her under orders of the actual HEAD of the guild. Eight years ago this new man agreed to help her raise her children. She still remembered why he said she was kidnapped. "_Those children in your womb are going to be powerful, looking at exactly who their parents are."_

She laughed bitterly to herself. Oh they were powerful, alright.

"If you want to watch the kids you just can, you know. They're technically your kids too, now."

"YOUR blood runs through their veins."

"They call you Daddy."

Korvich blushed, pouting like he was a three-year-old. "Oh alright, alright."

"Mommy?"

The woman looked down at her daughter, bending down with her hands on her knees, wanting to be close to her baby girl like the mother she is. "What is it?"

The girl nonchalantly pointed over the railing (keeping people from falling down a story) to the first floor. "Another fight broke out."

She heard Korvich sigh and moan in annoyance as he looked down at the guild below. The fellow guardian did not seem pleased whatsoever. Deciding she would not like the sight either, she readied her glare before looking down at the huge cluster of fighting members. A few things had changed about her over the years. After all, she was the leader of a black magic guild- which warrants an excuse for slowly becoming just a vicious when provoked, if not more, than the people that followed her. She took a deep breath, cupping hand right hand over her right cheek. And…

"**QUIIIIIEEEEEETTTT!"**

The scared members pulled back from their fights and saluted her. "YES M'AM, LUCY M'AM!"

Lucy Heartfilia bared her teeth, making sure every single person remembered who she was and that she was not to be tussled with. It seemed to work as everybody backed down, returning to their former states of drinking and being merry (as much as they could be with a brute watching over them with those glaring, essentially inflamed eyes of hers.)

Lucy sighed as Korvich let out a hearty laugh at his companion, her glare being sent his way. "What?"

"Nothing. I just find it amusing that when you're not angry you're just the same as the old Lucy but when angry… whoa, you better watch out!" She huffed at his teasing, being reminded of how badly _he _used to tease her. It made her blood boil sometimes.

"Mom?" Lucy glanced down at her son. "You hurt my ears, you know."

That's right. Her son was so much like his actual father in every meaning of the word… besides personality.

"Sorry, Jett. You know it's the only way to shut those idiots up."

"I know. Just please never yell at me like that."

"She can't make any promises." The young daughter spoke up. "What if you do something weird or dangerous and Momma has to scold you?"

Jett jeered at his little sister, annoyed that she thought he would do something stupid enough to make their mother yell in THAT way at HIM. "I only do stupid things when it's to protect YOU, Odette. You know that." Said little girl giggled and grabbed his arm, hugging him. "Yeah, I know."

Lucy smiled affectionately once more as her children cuddled like the bonding siblings they were.

Odette wore a soft pink leotard; her blonde hair curled and bouncy in two pigtails, her shoes were two brown ankle-boots with an artificial folded and wrinkled top. The doll that was being shaken in the brown creature's mouth before was now wiped clear of any drool and in her arms, hanging limply with a couple strands of hair missing. Jett wore a yellow sweater that contained two zippers on the sides as pockets. An orange shirt was under that jacket, not completely hidden. He wore a pair of jeans as well, boots the same color as his sister's, albeit a different style, warmed his feet. The brown creature jumped up, getting into the hug as well, earning a hearty laugh from the pair of twins. Lucy's eyes wandered to the two things that tied her children to their father. Odette had deep onyx eyes and Jett had pink hair the same color as his father's. Of course, Jett had _one_ more thing that tied to his father, while Odette had one more thing that tied to her. Lucy eyed the keys that she and her daughter share, hanging around a purple ribbon Odette had tied to her waist.

Korvich noted that Lucy was slipping into a state of nostalgia and quickly altered the topic. "How about you two go out and play?"

Odette and Jett looked at him, knowing that he used this unoriginal trick to get rid of them. "Why?"

"Your mother and I have some things to discuss."

Lucy gave him a questioning look, but he ignored it and continued on. "You two can go as far as you want. Just make sure not to get _too _close to another guild. And don't get lost."

The twins looked at each-other and shrugged, carrying on their merry way, taking the soft brown creature with them."

"Come on Buzzle." Jett called.

The brown creature responded to his name, transforming into a slightly bigger creature, the rough size of a Labrador, and carried Odette and Jett on his back. The guild cleared a straight path to the door for the three, knowing that if Buzzle tripped on anyone and the children, or Buzzle, were hurt it'd mean hell for them with their queen bee.

Lucy waited until her children were out the door and the guild returned to its former loud and obnoxious glory. "What do you want?"

"I know you're upset."

"I'm not upset."

"Lucy, I've known you and your children for eight years now. I think I know when you're upset."

Lucy was unnerved by his apprehensive voice. He never sounded unsure of himself. But it wasn't because he thought he was wrong. It was for another reason entirely.

"Why don't you go back and visit?"

"You kidnap me and tell me to never ever leave the guild and now you're pushing me out the door?"

"I know you'll come back. I know that you feel this place is best for you children."

Lucy couldn't help but question her ideas and opinions as more chairs, some with people still sitting on them, were thrown across the room along with mugs of beer and wine glasses/bottles.

"But being away from your friends, people you considered FAMILY… this is tearing YOU apart. I don't want you falling into this guild as much as you are."

Lucy turned away from him, facing the guild below. "This guild is my new family and the home of my children. I don't need them anymore."

The words she was saying felt hollow on her lips. It felt wrong to say such thing. She knew every bit of it wasn't true. She wanted to see Erza. She wanted to see Gray (and Juvia stalk Gray). She wanted to see Levy and Mira-Jane. She wanted to see Gajeel and Wendy and Romeo.

But that meant seeing _him_.

They all KNEW what was going on with her before she was kidnapped and surely they'd have questions about what had become of her children.

How was she supposed to tell Natsu that another man had taken his place as the father when he'd already told her he'd gladly take the job? When he'd already promised to stay by her side?

_When she'd inadvertently wrecked his relationship with Lisanna for these kids?_

Lucy didn't hate Lisanna. Oh no. In fact Lucy LOVED Lisanna. She wanted her children to grow up and call her Auntie Lisanna. She wanted Lisanna to be that sister-in-law that could come and crash on their couch if she'd watch the kids while she and Natsu are on a job so they wouldn't have to pay the babysitter or agree to go to karaoke and help her get Natsu up to sing.

But she was a little too dense to realize Natsu's relationship with Lisanna was a little more romantic than she had originally read it to be.

She didn't even mean for Natsu to find out, really.

But when he did and he told her he'd go talk to Lisanna about what it was they were going to do (she assumed to get advice from a sisterly figure), he came back and informed her that he and Lisanna had broken up. Lucy hadn't even known they were together in the first place! It had torn her up knowing she had caused his relationship to come to an end because she let him do something stupid. He had promised her that night, with a quick peck to the lips, that he'd stay and raise the kids with her. He'd then left to spread the word of her pregnancy (much to her disapproval) and get help from the all-knowing Mira-Jane. It was soon after that Lucy had found Korvich in her bedroom (why does everybody always show up when she's about to take a bath?). After-which he summoned a big brown, fuzzy monster (Buzzle's mom), to swallow her temporarily and take her to their guild (STILL in nothing but her towel!). He had originally wanted to take the womb for himself, as he had orders to raise it himself (how he thought cutting the baby out before it was born wouldn't kill the poor thing beforehand she had no idea) because with a father Dragon Slayer and Celestial mage mother the baby would be very powerful. Lucy begged and pleaded with her life to keep the baby. After allowing a soft spot for her story to seep into that beating place in his chest, he agreed to let her keep it on one condition:

She should never leave the guild. The children were to be born in Nazo, raised in Nazo, and were to learn from Nazo and be a part of Nazo- as was she.

"Lucy? Hello? EARTH TO THE VICIOUS WOMAN RULING BESIDE ME!" Korvich was snapping his fingers repeatedly in front of her face. Lucy glared. Sometimes he was a little _too _much like Natsu for her taste. She smacked him upside the head. "OH SHUT UP! I HEAR YOU!"

Korvich pouted like a child once again, rubbing the sore spot in which she hit him. "Lucy… you were already pretty rough with me a few nights ago. I'm still recovering, you know."

Lucy's face slowly went red before she began freaking out about how he shouldn't say those things.

Maybe they weren't married, but they still did THAT thing. Korvich would do it on nights where she was especially depressed with her past. It was his way to cheer her up. So maybe it wasn't for love but they did it because they were… friends?

Great, they were friends with benefits.

Many, many… benefits.

Korvich laughed at her reaction as she continued to throw a temper tantrum about how it was inappropriate to discuss such things outside of the bedroom. He just nodded his head and listened, completely forgetting about bugging her to visit her old friends.

_**Fairy Tail's Strongest…**_

"COME BACK HERE YOU MANGY CAT! THAT'S NO FAIR! YOU CAN FLY!"

A very light sky-blue cat flew as high as he could away from the five-year-old dragon slayer. "Can't… keep… this up…"

"GRAWWWWRRRRRRRR!" The child below him roared, stomping his feet, snarling. Gajeel looked over and laughed. "That's my boy!"

"I'LL GUT YOU LIKE A FISH!"

"SHUT UP!"

A young girl who wore a similar hairstyle to Levy's (except for the curly, as opposed to spiky, hair) spoke up, slamming her book angrily. Her navy blue dress curled around the stool she was sitting on as she angrily turned around. The white, frilly, top part of the dress was accented in navy blue polka-dots. Just like that she started to throw curse words at the two. Wendy sat on the stool next to where her daughter sat, horrified that her daughter was saying such words. "A… Aina! Don't say things like that!"

"A little cursing won't hurt her. She's growing."

Wendy turned to her husband, pouting. "She's three!"

Romeo chuckled at his wife. "Oh just let her have this one. We'll scold her later."

Levy sat next to Gajeel, laughing nervously as her son attempted to shoot the light-furred exceed down with some metal spikes. "There is no doubt that he's your son, Gajeel. There really isn't."

Aina's eyes, the same color as her father's, lit up in anger as the two refused to stop their little quarrel. She hurled filthier profanities at them.

"DID YOU HEAR ME KATSUO?" She asked, almost out of breath from the slurs she had used.

Gajeel's and Levy's son turned to the girl, obstructing his spikes for a few seconds. "Yeah, but it doesn't make any sense! I don't have what you have down there! How can you call me a-"

The exceed was just as curious about the words that were being thrown around, flying over to his parents. Charle was in a state of stupefaction, and that's an understatement, as Happy found it comical to hear the words that Aina was hawking come out of their son's mouth. Wendy, terrified at the words her daughter had uttered, let her head fall into Romeo's chest as he chuckled fretfully at his daughter's verbal exploits.

Somewhere else in the guild were four mages, crowded around a table with a map, three of them with huge smiles on their faces. "They're so cute!" Juvia cooed, hearts circling in her eyes. Gray looked over at his girlfriend, snickering before agreeing silently with her, watching their bickering. Juvia pressed her cheeks together with her hands, puckering her lips. "Light-kun is learning how to fly! Aina-chan is speaking like a sailor! Katsuo-kun's learning how to handle girls!" Gray sighed. "Oi, oi….."

Erza sat there, next to Natsu, pointing out places on the map. "We went there the last time so how about we go HERE for the big Fairy Tail family vacation this year?"

Master had placed them in the position to find the place and work out costs and what each member will pay to tag along, and Erza was giddy with the idea that this would be becoming a tradition with the way things went last year. She couldn't put her finger on what she loved so much about it, but it was as good to her as Strawberry Cheesecake. The rest of the guild seemed agree with her (Cana because the entire trip long she got free booze). Of course, there was one person who seemed to not really care all that much. Natsu sat there, a neutral expression on his face. He still smiled, and for the most part was the same Natsu…. But he never _really _laughed. He never _really _smiled. And everybody knew why.

In eight years 93 searches were conducted to find Lucy and/or his child, but they always came up dry.

In eight years they still couldn't find what was supposed to be Natsu's _family_.

In eight years, Natsu has almost given up hope to find the child he had wanted for so long and the blonde he wanted equally as much- in a different way.

"Natsu…" He twitched, surprised when he felt Erza's hand rest on his shoulder. It was now a common thing to see her being so gentle (to _him _at least.) Everybody seemed to be a little gentler with Natsu nowadays. There wasn't very much of a difference, but everybody was careful to stay away from topics when talking to him such as complaining about their "other half" or things that world tick him off, knowing he was a little more irritable than he was before. God help the poor bastard that asked him when he was going to get a girlfriend.

"Do you want us to go search for them before we all leave tomorrow?"

He shrugged her hand off his shoulder, and if he weren't in such a "vulnerable state" as Wendy put it, then that would have earned his a swift boot to the head from the warrior sitting next to him. "You guys can just go on the vacation by yourselves. It'll just give me time to look for her." He turned away, attention focused on the wall across from him. Erza took a moment to note that his hair had grown a little longer; either that or it was because it wasn't as spiky as it was before. It was also a little duller, from what she could see. Just the same as his eyes…

"Natsu…"

"We'll go looking for them, okay?" Gray set a hand on Natsu's shoulder now, pulling back after his sentence was finished. "Christ… whiner." This of course got a little bit of a reaction from Natsu, who snarled at him like he used to for being called a "whiner". Juvia smiled at the interaction, happy that her friend's lover still had some part of the old him left somewhere in there. Juvia knew as well as Levy and Mira did that if Natsu wasn't himself anymore, no matter where she was Lucy would be upset.

Because Lucy loved Natsu.

(Wherever she was.)

Natsu pulled back, not wanting to give his rival the satisfaction. "I know you guys are getting annoyed with this…"

Erza gave the young man a death glare, grabbing his arm. "Natsu she is our family, too! We could never see looking for her as annoying! We understand that you're upset. Who wouldn't be?" She tore her hand off of his shoulder once more. "You haven't been around for the first eight years of your child's life. We'd all worry if you _weren't _so pissy about losing her!" Erza stood, grabbing his wrist. "Come on! Let's go search for Lucy!"

Just before the group went out Natsu could hear Gray mumble something to him.

"Lucy would never leave us, Natsu."

_**Fairy Tail's Strongest…**_

Five hours.

Natsu, Erza, Gray, and Juvia had been out there for five hours searching for Lucy and what should be an eight-year-old child.

Five hours and they still weren't done.

"LUCY!"

"LUCY!"

"LUCE!"

Over and over again their cries echoed throughout the forest, un-heard and un-answered.

Juvia bent over a branch, breathing heavily from how loud they had all been screaming.

"We've been out here for hours, Gray-sama!"

"We can't give up yet, Juvia. Hold on a little longer." Gray breathed back, a cool smile on his lips.

She nodded, standing up straight and dusting herself off.

"We may not have a choice, Gray." The two turned to Erza, who wiped sweat off of her forehead, the heat getting to not just her but everyone else in the space. "We may need to give up."

"YOU IDIOT! YOU GOT US LOST IN HERE!"

Heads shot up as the same voice spoke again.

"I'LL TEAR YOUR HEAD OFF AND USE IT AS A HAT!"

"Shut up! I know what I'm doing!"

"Like HELL you know what you're doing!"

"I DO TOO!"

"Children?" Erza spoke up. "We can hear you, do you need help?"

Everything went silent.

"…."

Nobody said anything and the children's voices were gone.

"Are they gone?" A little voice whispered. A smack was heard (along with a pained "OW!") along with a "Yeah, they grew wings and flew away! NO! THEY ARE NOT!" Knowing that the children were right behind the bush in front of them, their attention asserted itself upon that one bush.

"OW! OW! OW! Mommy said not to hit girls!"

A little blonde girl ran out, holding her head and crying.

"Oh like YOU ever listen to Mom, either!" A boy followed her out, growling like the two had completely forgotten what they had been hiding from (in this case, they had).

Erza, Gray and Juvia all gave each-other looks of confusion or irritation before turning back to the children.

All Natsu could seem to do, though, was stand there and stare at the children.

Those children… their looks… their behavior…_**that scent**_.

He knew it. Any blind fool could see who these kids were so long as their sense of smell was heightened and their deduction ability was moderately accurate.

"ODETTE! JETT!"

Heads turned back towards the direction they had been looking in before as a blonde woman slowly revealed herself, completely unaware that their small group was there as she made a bee-line for her kids.

"Your father is going to have your HEAD when he finds out how far you went! This is WAY too close to the guild we told you about!"

And now everybody was _truly _frozen, eyes looking at nothing but the Fairy Tail wizard they once knew, clothed in a black jumpsuit that squeezed her curves, not showing too much but just enough. Her eyes had been wide with fear before she had found the little ones, who were now being squeezed and suffocated by their mother's embrace. Natsu's eyes were now even wider as he stared down at his best dream, his world slowly turning into nothing but the woman he hadn't seen for eight years and the small children being squeezed in her arms.

And he hated himself when he realized that all he could seem to mutter out was "Lucy…"


	2. Daddy

"Lucy…"

The blonde gasped, looking up towards the source of the noise. Erza was there (not aged a day with the exception of her locks being less bright, Lucy noted) her same old armor clinging to her like usual. Gray was there. _Does he realize he's shirtless? Juvia does… _Juvia was, of course, bright-faced at Gray's sudden clothing choice, but was wearing a white knee-length skirt along with blue ballet flats that matched her eyes, along with a blue shirt the same color with a white sweater to accompany it. Her hair was styled to be longer; she even lost the hate she was always seen wearing! Then there _he _was. HE was standing there, his own eyes wide and his pupils smaller than they were on an average day. His scarf blew with the wind that was carrying the only sound made besides the cheering children, happy to have found their Mommy again.

They stayed like that for a while…

The looks on their faces… how was she supposed to take this? How was she supposed to react? Lucy's eyes traced her (ex) fellow Fairy Tail members- the people she used to go on missions with every day like it was nothing….

It was strange to see their faces all grown up- just as she knew hers was. Maturity was the biggest, not the only, but the biggest, thing she could see in those eyes. It was a maturity mixed in with experienced contentment, reservation, sorrow, and discomfort… agony… pain.

Erza was the one to make the first move.

"LUCY!" The blonde, if only five seconds later, found herself being crushed by Titania's bear hug/glomp. "OHHH we missed you so MUCH!" Lucy could feel the weight being lifted off of her as Erza pulled away to grab her shoulders. "Are you alright? Did they hurt you? What have they done? What happened to you? Did they do anything to the babies?"

Jett and Odette turned to one another, shrugging their shoulders in confusion. Buzzle scratched his head against Jett's neck to show his own brand of misperception. Lucy laughed nervously. "E… Erza, just look at them! They're fine!" Every finger except the thumb was closed into a fist as it gestured towards the little eight-year-olds who were still bemused. Erza looked at Lucy then back at the look-alikes, then yet again towards Lucy. Juvia took a step forward, exclaiming that it was very nice to see her again. _Huh, she and Gray must have tied the knot or SOMETHING if she's not viewing me as her romantic rival anymore. _Lucy supposed, looking over at Gray who was approaching behind his girlfriend.

"Lucy… where have you **been**? Who kidnapped you?" There was pure unadulterated joy in his voice, but behind the curtains Lucy could catch resentment and apprehension. He was truly glad she was back, but he wanted the head of whoever it was that hijacked her in the first place. Juvia nodded (trust that Gray's concern was that of friendship and nothing more, Lucy noted once more).

"We've been searching high and low for you for eight years! We never found…anything…" Erza exclaimed, slowly coming to some sort of epiphany. Lucy, as well as the twins, seemed to notice that everybody was coming to the same conclusion.

A few seconds flat her once caring, overjoyed friends had a sword pointed at her throat, seemingly ready to end her line of life.

"MOMMY!" She could hear the babies crying out for their mother as she was pressed up against the ground, her back landing painfully on a couple of twigs.

Erza's glare was just as deadly as she remembered it, and Gray's made her feel extremely uncomfortable to say the least. Juvia held that blank "no mercy" look that she used to have so often…

And Natsu seemed just as lost as Lucy.

"WAIT! What are you guys doing? That's LUCY- **our **Luce!"

"Open your eyes Natsu! Why NOW after eight years of searches does she just suddenly APPEAR before us? Why didn't she come out sooner?"

"Because of my kids!"

The foursome looked down at their trapped partner as she looked up at them with this sick strength in her eyes. It was _that _look- the one that belonged to their Lucy and their Lucy alone. "My kids went out into the forest by themselves for the first time today… and accidently got lost. _That_ is why I am here. _That _is why you better pull the sword away from my throat before you do something and accidently kill somebody who is undeserving of it."

Odette and Jett rushed to their mother's side, relived at her courage's lack of absence. They glared up at the red-head, who was already withdrawing, her sword at Lucy's prompt defiance. "So it is you…"

"Damn right it's me! What the HELL are you DOING pointing a sword at somebody when there are KIDS present?"

"They may have been illusions." Gray shrugged, smirking that same arrogant grin he always used to.

"Illusions my ass. That's still just wrong!" Lucy whined, crossing her arms. "My children may be forever scarred thanks to that." Jett and Odette looked at their mom, then each other before both deciding to roll their eyes and continue on with the conversation. "You know these people, Mommy?"

Lucy nodded, leisurely getting up and standing on her own two feet. "That's Gray." She motioned to the said ice mage who waved in response. "That's Juvia." She nodded in the water mage's direction, who smiled and waved as an echo of what her lover had greeted them with. She was not yet ready to guess out loud at what their (Gray's and Juvia's) relationship had come to since she had left. She knew that if she said one wrong thing Juvia would either faint or drown them all in tears. "That's Erza." The red-head gave a pleasant gentle nod before being preoccupied by something moving to the left of her. Lucy knew exactly what- or who- it was that had caught Erza's attention, deciding that it would be best if she saved the whole "he's your dad" thing for later.

"And this is Natsu." She wanted to say.

It was rather difficult to get any words out as a pair of lips came crashing onto her own, strong fiery hot arms wrapping around her as she subconsciously wrapped her legs around her attacker's waist. His tongue was certainly spicy from all of (what she was guessing was) the peppery ramen he was probably indulging in before she had made her appearance. She could feel him press up against her tighter, holding her close and savoring every moment that Lucy knew she too, was guilty of trying so hard to remember. Natsu's kiss was long, passionate, with a far overdue yearning and thirst hidden behind it. (But there was something else there. What was it? Lucy felt she could ignore the swaggering stares coming from her friends and the shaken or alarmed looks coming from her offspring just a little while longer…) She hated it, this overwhelming need to continue hanging onto him, this want to continue this kiss and even more. Eight years had passed since they had first held one another like this, and the thoughts came back to her mind, clear and vivid.

Natsu licked her bottom lip, wanting to get a better taste of this girl-no- _woman _that he had wanted for so long, just knowing that, by the way she was responding, wanted him equally as much. He pulled her even closer, twirling her around as she reached both hands up to run through his extended hair, running over all of her curves that had seasoned even since _then_. He could feel her legs tighten around his waist as the two somehow simultaneously decided to pull apart for air. Onyx eyes met dark chocolate ones, both blinking and gazing into the others. The celestial mage heaved as her arms tightened around his neck. He pressed his forehead against hers as that smile he had once had, that smile that hadn't appeared for some time made its way to his features, presenting itself to the one person that could claim that smile as the one he always had for _her_. His eyes had that same sparkle that they used to (and damn, was his hair brighter, now?).

For the first time in a long time, Natsu Dragneel was happy.

He wasn't _giddy_.

He wasn't _joyful_.

He was _happy_.

He was happy, and Erza was happy, and Gray was happy, and Juvia was happy, and Lucy could share this old flame of contentment and the utmost pleasure that they felt- that _he _felt.

The twins, however, were _not _pleased.

"M-M-M-MOOOM!"

"WHAT THE HEEELLLLL?"

Lucy gasped, realizing that in her outrageous twinkling of amorousness, she had forgotten all about her children- who had never seen her interact with any man in such a way. This INCLUDED who they considered to be their "Daddy", Korvich. From where she was… "sitting"… she could see the distraught expressions that her babies held. Odette looked as though she was about to whine. Jett looked like he was disgusted and confused at the same time. She laughed nervously, forcing Natsu to let her feet press against something other than his lower back.

"Momma?" Odette slowly spoke. The edginess she was feeling was no great mystery. Why had her mother, who was always so rough with any man besides her Daddy, kissed this man? Lucy took a deep breath, looking down at the two of them.

Well, looks like the "he's your dad" thing came a _wittle _sooner than anticipated.

"Jett, Odette…"

"THOSE are their NAMES?" Natsu exclaimed in the background. "I thought you said you wanted to name the kids something different?" Lucy let out a huff, glaring at the pink-haired man before turning around to face the youngsters again. Because Korvich had mercy on her and allowed her to keep her children so long as they stayed in the guild, she had decided to let _him _name the children. Odette because her beauty was that of the heroine in Swan Lake and Jett because… well, it rhymed.

She mentally made a note to slap Korvich again for being so immature.

"Listen… you may have been smart enough to figure this out already, especially since you look nothing like him, but Korvich is…" she took a deep breath.

"Korvich is _not _your real father."

Jett's jaw dropped so hard you could almost hear it "clank" like a cartoon against the ground. Odette, however, shrugged. "Auntie Haruka already told me that." The blonde woman twitched. "She did, did she?"

Lucy mentally made a note to (interrogate) ask Haruka why she had revealed such scarring information to her daughter.

"In fact, your actual father is this man, here…." Lucy gestured over to Natsu, who looked surprised that Lucy had just dropped it out like that. He then offered his best heart-warming smile and bent down to their level, reaching out his hand.

"My name is Natsu. Natsu Dragneel. I'm… I'm your Dad, I guess."

Odette wasted no time running up and hugging the man around the neck, snuggling in naturally to his radiating heat. Natsu, while surprised by the impact, still caught the girl in his arms, holding her close before looking over at the still frozen Jett, reaching his other hand out. Jett stood there, eyes filled with concern and insecurity before he looked up at his mother, whose reassuring smile told him just what he wanted to hear.

Slowly but surely, the boy approached the man with an arm still open, still unsure of this interaction. Then he got a look from Natsu that Korvich had given him many times before. Never before, though, had it shaken him to this core in his chest in such a way. Deciding he had spent long enough playing games, he jumped into the man's open arm.

In some way, he and Odette had always known, somewhere in the back of their mind, that Korvich wasn't their real father, and that their real Daddy was somebody out there that they would meet one day. There was always something telling them that there was something off with Korvich, something they couldn't quite explain.

Somehow, being in this man's arms felt right.

It felt like they had a protection they had half-lacked before. It felt like they had finally found the final ingredient to their concoction. (If they knew a little more about their magic, they would have known it was their slayer instincts were still in gear, even subconsciously.)

And it was all because this man, the one holding them and crying, in a manly way, was their father.

Jett's cry was muffled against his scarf, but Natsu could hear it clearly.

"Papa!"

Erza's smile was a little brighter as she stared down at the three, her eyes shining as bright as the sun on one of her swords. _Would this be a good time to bring up that I want kids, Gray-sama? _Juvia questioned herself. She slowly reached out, wrapping both of her arms around her boyfriend's right arm. He looked back at her, confusion written all over his face. Juvia looked up at him with anxious eyes and gulped. The ice mage frowned at her, whispering that they needed to talk later.

"Lucy…"

The blonde queen looked down at the father of her children. He was looking up at her with a big, watery, cocky smirk. "You're the Mom; get your ass down here, too!" Just as radiant as it always had been, Lucy's smile shined through her teeth and pale red lips (she needed to reapply soon). She got down on all fours before grabbing up her kids and leaning into Natsu's big, warm hug as well. The dragon slayer leaned down and placed a kiss on his lover's head, holding his family just a wee bit closer.

Lucy knew the issue of Lisanna and Natsu still remained, as she was convinced that maybe just maybe Natsu had once again acted on his emotion rather than on his brains (even though it wasn't like him to break a promise), but there were other issues, too- BIGGER ones. For example, it didn't seem as though Natsu was giving his new family up any time soon. Who would have an issue with that?

Korvich.


	3. Honey! I'm Home!

SLAM!

Accidently, Lucy smashed the giant metal door rather roughly against the stone wall of the guild, eyes narrowed in a way that said she knew what was going to be going on when she walked through that door _and she was going to stop it_.

Her instincts had proven correct once again as chairs, people, and people in chairs with drinks flew all over the room. Vases and wine glasses and bottles of Champaign raced back and forth, casting dark shadows over the walls in the light of the many candles in the room, reflecting off the rock walls and over the heads of the partying, angered or irritated members. Back and forth, back and forth- until their queen bee raised her voice and started to scream profanity at the members, reminding them that there was a box of shame for a reason, gesturing to a stone cell that was somehow hanging by some line of incredibly strong rope. In it was a man with a beard and moustache, who looked down, hands on the bars and waved hello to Lucy.

"Hello, Virgil." Lucy dispassionately answered.

Natsu, Erza, Gray and Juvia looked on in disbelief at Lucy's handle on things. Odette and Jett, on the other hand, had heard their mother speak before in this manner and it was nothing new to them to hear a few slurs of curse words find their way off of their mother's lips. It was normal for her when the rebellious wizards were spewing idiocy and physically displaying it. Buzzle, knowing that it was time to leave Lucy to do her thing, ran off to go get attention from a few of the animal lovers that were located by the bar. Snacks! Free snacks! Muwahahahaha!

Erza noted that she was impressed by Lucy's handy work as Lucy threw a bottle right back at one of the newer guild members who was dumb enough to toss it at her. Natsu twitched at the sight, confused. A few seconds ago she was his regular old Lucy. After they had walked in, though, her anger had risen to the equivalent of him continuously sneaking into her house all night long. It baffled him and scared him to put it bluntly.

It was like Lucy was a less extreme Erza when angered. Even WITH all of the bottles she hurled and the stick ends of beer bottles she'd stuffed up noses it still wasn't enough to match a seriously peeved Titania.

Finally getting things to settle down, Lucy stepped up the staircase gracefully, much like the rich girl she had been brought up to be, lastly nesting her feet in front of the stone fence separating her and the ledge of the peak.

"Those wizards you see back there- the ones without our mark on their hands? Yes, them. Those are Fairy Tail wizards- friends of mine. And if I hear that ANY of you caused a ruckus or started a fight with one of them while I was gone, so help me I'll skin you alive and force your friends or pets to eat it for lunch!"

She hated speaking like that, but with the people she was "leading" it was kind of difficult to assert dominance any other way than threats they knew you could achieve. And if she threatened them with something she _couldn't_ do, they knew damn well Korvich would do it for her if asked or seduced enough (if she even had to do anything to convince him at all, that is).

Listening to her rant and heading her warning, a few greeted them while others either watched them curiously or glared at them, envious of their relationship with Lucy or angered by another guild's presence.

After she saw that her friends were safe from everybody who didn't have a death-wish, Lucy proceeded to question where the "father" of her children was.

"Do you all know where he is?"

She was getting tired of asking, knowing that she couldn't keep her friends there much longer for fear that somebody would get ballsy enough to try something and end up getting killed in retaliation.

"I'm right here, Lucy."

The sudden hot breath on her neck made her shiver and gasp, quickly turning around to look up at the male before her. "K-Korvich!"

His hands were now on either side of her waist, grasping the fence behind her, a mischievous smirk along his lips. "I see you brought home some friends?"

She nodded, slowly reaching up and laying both hands on his chest. She could say nothing. Her lips went dry and her body started to shake from the close proximity of the wizard, who seemed to be enjoying every minute of her blatant weakness for him.

There were few knowing snickers coming from below, only to be silenced by the glowing spectacle of fire beside them- one that hadn't resonated from the candle that lit up the room. Their jaws dropped and they all brought their hands up automatically- defensively, and slowly nudged away from it.

Natsu stood there, his fire not quite yet out of control, but literally making him glow and light up the atmosphere all the more. His anger was not to Lucy, he concluded. No. It was this man who had seemingly trapped his Lucy in a provocative way, his hands running over her arms slowly, much like the way he had wanted to for so long.

Lucy flushed at the contact. _Did it suddenly just get a little warmer in here? _She pressed Korvich away, lightly whispering a "we need to talk" in his ear.

Confused by Lucy's sudden actions, he only nodded and raised an eyebrow, knowing fully well there had only been a few times before that she had shoved away his advances. There were few reasons why but all of which traced back to one thing.

Natsu.

Korvich turned to get a good look at the extra light in the room that he had ignored in his attempts to seduce the mother of "his" children. His arms were crossed over his chest and that glare…

Korvich shivered.

Now he understood why Salamander was so famous. But of course, what was he going to expect? There was a _reason _why he had wanted the unborn Jett and Odette- and that was because their genes were those of two of some of the most powerful wizards in Magnolia.

Natsu was _not _somebody he wanted to pick a fight with.

"Daddy!"

Natsu's rage was suddenly swung into full-blown confusion as Odette ran up to Korvich, swinging her arms around his legs and smiling sweetly up at him. Korvich smirked, making sure to watch Natsu from the corner of his eyes and he bended down to wrap his arms around Odette.

She may have been related by blood to Natsu, but HE was the one she grew up with. He had more of a right to be called "daddy" than the man truly responsible for the existence of the child. She laughed like the small young child she was and opened her arms wide up, hands opening and closing, signaling she wanted to be picked up. Not one to ignore his baby girl, he picked her up and spun her around. "Whoa, my little swan! How are you doing today?"

"I'm great, Daddy! I found out that I have two Papas! And that's better than one because it means Jett and I get twice the hugs and twice the love and twice the birthday presents and twice the adventure! Plus when I get a boyfriend he'll be twice as in trouble when he breaks up with me!" She proclaimed proudly, reaching up and giggling softly and she played with the cape that rested on his shoulders.

_Ah, I see. So that's what Lucy wants to talk about._

"Natsu…"

The pink haired man stopped shaking as the stern hand landed on his shoulder. He turned around to see Erza standing there. "Something has occurred and Juvia is not feeling too well. Gray is bringing her back to the infirmary to check up on her. I'm going to go with and guard the door so no perverts try to enter, alright?"

Natsu found himself slowly nodding, which earned a worried look from Erza. "Natsu, please don't take anything that happens between Korvich and the children to heart. You must understand that this is the man that they have been raised to believe is their father all of their life. It must be difficult for Lucy, as well."

The two turned to look up at Lucy, who was leaning against the doorway of a hall, watching with this un-Lucy-like look upon her face, showing the world that there was something wrong.

"She never thought that she was going to see us again. She was convinced that this man was the only man these children would ever know as their father. And not that she's seen you again-"

"I get it." Natsu shrugged her hand off. "I'm going to go talk to her. You go get to guarding."

The red-head presented him one last concerned gaze before she turned on her heel and left to the infirmary.

"Lucy…"

The blonde turned to him.

"Natsu… I-"

"Lucy, I know. This guy was their Dad for the longest time, but…"

"But nothing… you don't have to do anything to raise them, Natsu. I'd like it if you were to visit them occasionally but besides that you're free to do whatever it is you want."

Natsu's eyes widened. _Where did THAT come from? Did she NOT just see or experience the giant family hug we had an hour or so ago?_

His eyes slanted. _Ohhhhh no. Not THIS time, Lucy._

"Lucy I wanted this. I promised you before I left that night that I would take care of them and raise them with you."

"But that didn't mean you didn't have feelings for Lisanna anymore."

Natsu was now taken aback, gaping openly at what she just said before retorting back with a "Wh… What da huh?"

She glared up at him, pain coursing through her veins, free-loading a ride on her blood vessels. Natsu could see it. As always, Lucy's emotions were always clear so long as you were looking her in the eyes. "Natsu, don't play dumb. I'm the only reason you two broke apart and you know it! Haven't you been dating her since I've been gone?" She questioned, pretty confident that she was right. _What the hell? You weirdo! The second I saw you I KISSED you! You KNOW I don't go around doing things like that!_

"Oh yeah? Well what about you and Mr. Mysterious, huh?" The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.

"Natsu, that is different. He's been holding me captive! I've been here because I was FORCED to be for the sake of my children! And what am I going to do? Just raise kids with a man I have no ties to? Do you realize how dysfunctional Jett and Odette could have ended up had they not seen Mommy and Daddy kissing just a _little _bit?" He didn't need to know what the two of them had done behind closed doors, purely as an outlet At least, not yet. "I was fully convinced that by the time I saw you again- if I EVER did- that you and Lisanna would be married and have a child of your own, anyways!"

"Lucy I _never _gave up searching for you! I didn't even _try _to get what I had with Lisanna back! The only thing that was on my mind was you and the kid!" He stopped, pouting really quick "which actually turned out to be two…" He turned back to the already astonished Lucy, determination and fire in his eyes, just like the old Natsu she knew and loved (oh so dearly). "I want you _back_, Lucy! We _all _do! I WON'T leave this place without you and the kids, you hear me? And if that jerk in the black over there has a problem with it he can take it up with ME!" Lucy stood there, jaw dropped, eyes wide at the sudden (quiet) outburst from her former lover. His hands were in fists as he dropped every single emotion he had into each individual word, voice full of passion.

"Natsu…"

"Lucy?"

The two turned their attention to Korvich, who was approaching cautiously. "You asked to have a word with me?" The blonde hesitantly nodded, looking at Natsu, who stared back at her before glaring at the male leader, walking away in a huff.

"Korvich, I have a question that I need answered."

In the background, Natsu was mauled by an excited Odette and an enthusiastic Jett, both pulling him the play the same game.

"Yes?"

"You remember why it is that Jett and Odette are" she stopped timidly "alive, right?"

"Of course. I spared you from being separated from your children or killed under the deal that you would live here and that they would grow here."

"Well…" Lucy thought for a moment before laughing nervously. "You never exactly said that they needed to be fully grown adults… and you also never said how LONG I would live here."

Korvich sighed, closing his eyes. "You want to leave, don't you?"

Lucy gulped. Was she that easy of a person to read?

"Korvich I know what I agreed to but-"

"Go right ahead."

"Eh?"

Lucy's jaw dropped and her eyes went blank as she stared off into his face, or more specifically, space. "Wh-what?"

"You can leave."

"What? Why?"

He smirked. "Lucy, you're a master, now. You can go wherever you want to go. And so long as Odette and Jett remain loyal to this guild _whenever _we need them, that's all we wanted."

"Wait!" She screeched, confused by his logic. "Then- then why have we LIVED here all this time?"

"Simple. They wouldn't put their hearts into helping people they hadn't known or loved. We are now recognizable as family to them. They would assist us in a heartbeat because they _wanted _to. All we were after was the loyalty of a very powerful wizard- and we ended up with two who even address us as 'aunt' and 'uncle' or 'papa'." Lucy twitched.

"So… as long as they are available to fight alongside you when they come of age… then you have no problem letting us walk out that door?"

"As long as I get letters from the children who are basically MINE, yes!" He pouted, crossing his arms and hanging his head just enough so she could still clearly see his narrowed eyes and puckered lips.

And there was the childish side to him again that she had grown accustomed to.

"Oh thank you! Thank you! THANK YOU!" She jumped up and down. "I'll go let the kids know right away! We'll start packing!" She turned to leave, only to feel something wrap around her wrist firmly.

"Wait a minute, Lucy."

"Huh?"

Natsu moaned out loud. "Dang it! I lost AGAIN!"

How the HELL were these kids so good at blackjack? BLACKJACK!

The two of them snickered. "Twice in a row you lost, Daddy."

"You've gotta' get us some of Mommy's famous caramel strawberry fudge cookies!"

It had been difficult to ignore the fact that Lucy and that bastard who had kidnapped her were talking so quietly to one another. He could be doing ANYTHING! But then he rested on the thought that Lucy was a strong woman and if she needed anything he could hear her clear as day even if she was muffled and gagged.

Natsu groaned. "Well, where are they?"

Both of them looked at each other, shrugging. "I don't know!"

"Just ask Mommy, she hides them from us! She'd know!"

Natsu smirked at his kids, getting up, not even bothering to dust himself off from sitting on the unclean floor (did being recalcitrant mean they couldn't clean?). It was still a shock to him that his children were so close to the way he had imagined them, both a perfect mix of Lucy's vanity, his stubbornness, Lucy's loving nature and his naturally upbeat mood. He had only known them for an hour and he already loved them. No, scratch that. He always had loved them, right from the moment he had peeked in Lucy's window at the right moment to see her staring blankly at a positive pregnancy test.

They were _his _kids.

They were the kids that were created between himself and Lucy, they had united together in the way he had always wanted to and created the family he had always wanted. But he wasn't just glad it was any old girl he created a loving family with. No, it was Lucy. Lucky Lucy Heartfilia (he was really the lucky one, here!). They were his family, the people he loved more than anything. And he was going to keep them by his side at all costs- even if it meant bashing some haughty dude's nose in a couple hundred times before he got the point.

Jett was his little dragon.

Odette was his little princess.

Lucy was his-

….

No.

No. There was absolutely _no __**way **_that he was seeing this- not after he just got her back.

Lucy gasped, pulling away from Korvich slowly and daintily, at a loss for words as he chuckled down at her. "Of course, I expect you to write to me too, Lucy. You've been my partner in this guild for so long, and don't think just because you're away you're relived of your duties as the queen bee." He gently caressed her cheek, thumb tracing her bottom lip softly. It was still a little slippery. "Because no matter what, I'll always be there for you, and I'll always be willing to take you in if something goes wrong."

She nodded, a warm smile coming over her still shaking lips. "The same goes for you, Korvich. You always have a home with the children and me, wherever we go." He nodded, turning and walking away with a smile as earnest as hers on his lips.

Lucy watched his retreating form, coughing to herself to clear her thoughts before she turned around to face Natsu and her children, who were all sitting quietly playing some kind of card game. The children seemed to look slightly cross at their father, and she took this as him probably winning without mercy.

_Oh Natsu… so immature, even for a fully grown man._

"Odette? Jett?"

She made her way over cheerily to the threesome, seeing their heads perk up.

Natsu didn't move an inch or look at her.

Lucy took note of that.

"I just spoke to Daddy-"

At the bemused looks her children gave off as they looked at Natsu, she sweat-dropped.

"Umm… Daddy Korvich."

"OOOOOOHHHHHH."

"And he said that we were free to go! Grab Buzzle and let's get packing!"

"Huh?" Odette raised her head to look up. "Free to go where, Mommy?"

"Fairy Tail."

Natsu finally perked up at this, turning around. "He… he did?"

"Yep."

"I don't have to punch his teeth out?"

"Nope."

Any sign of Natsu's strange behavior was gone as he jumped up, locking his arms securely around Lucy, squeezing just enough as to provide a channel for his feelings but not tight enough as to choke her. "That's great!"

In the background, Gray and Juvia and come out and were both just standing by, watching as Erza participated in the throwing of chairs.

_**Fairy Tail's Strongest…**_

"Honey! I'm home!"

Gajeel promptly spit out his drink.

Mira-Jane broke a glass.

Cana choked on her beer, coughing roughly, holding throat.

Lisanna tripped and nearly fell, catching herself and the dishes as fast as she could, balancing on one foot, plates in both hands and on her foot that wasn't planted to the ground.

Aina peeked up from her book to see what was happening, curious at the commotion that was stirring up the entire guild.

"LUUUUCCCYYYYY!"

A sobbing Levy pushed and shoved her way through the crowd with no issue, jumping up and glomping the blonde that was before them, clad in a white tank-top with a half-red half-orange half-sweater over it, a tight pair of jeans covering her legs. Her bags were over her shoulders and beside her stood a proud-looking Natsu, a softly smiling Erza, and a happy Gray and Juvia. The two girls swung around for a good five seconds before Levy's feet one again came in contact with the ground. By this time the entire guild had come to crowd around the strongest team in Fairy Tail, cheering and screaming Lucy's name in pure bliss that she was back.

_**Fairy Tail's Strongest…**_

Okay, so I actually had a rough draft of this and this is pretty much the "movie" adaption of that draft. There were a lot of things included in the rough draft that weren't in this chapter that weren't put in either for the sake of keeping it T (ex. For humor purposes only Lucy walks in on Juvia and Gray… in the infirmary… if you catch my drift.) And there are even some concepts about Odette's and Jett's personalities that were taken out for the sake of moving the story along at a smoother pace (ex. Odette was refusing to believe that the pink idiot was her real Daddy and Natsu even BEING their dad was revealed to them at a much later time. Jett had been suspecting it because his similar hair color and Odette was PISSED at Korvich for kidnapping Lucy because when she finally accepted Natsu as being her father she was upset that he hadn't been there all her life… because Korvich kidnapped the pregnant Lucy xD) It's written like a script so I can't post it here. LOL

Well I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!

I had a sudden kick to write it and just… went all out! XD I really am SO thankful for every review I've received from all of you! Thank you so much!

And I'd also like to thank my dear friend VocalAurora who is actually a close friend of mine in real life for looking over my work and checking it for errors and to see if it's any good! ^^

You should check out her story "Faithful Tears". It's really good! :D

Yes it's another NatsuxLucy! ^.^

Thank you guys for reading! Let me know how I'm doing!


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